Six Suspects Sought in Market Shooting

Vendor who was wounded is stable at Lakeland Regional.

Shoppers returned to the Lakeland Farmers Market on Sunday, a day after the 79-year-old owner of a coin and gun booth was shot during a robbery.

RICK RUNION | THE LEDGER

By ELVIA MALAGONTHE LEDGER

Published: Monday, November 26, 2012 at 12:41 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, November 26, 2012 at 12:41 a.m.

LAKELAND | Families flocked to the Lakeland Farmers Market on Sunday to buy produce and clothing items a day after a gun booth owner was shot in the stomach during a robbery.

While the market appeared to be back to normal and Mexican country music blared through the small shops, booth owners said they were more vigilant because of the shooting.

The 79-year-old man who was shot Saturday was in stable condition Sunday at Lakeland Regional Medical Center and is expected to recover, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.

Officials haven't identified the man as they search for six suspects who apparently participated in the robbery at the market on Swindell Road.

Deputies said the suspects are black, appeared to be teenagers, and some had dreadlocks. Deputies also are searching for a black, newer-model Suzuki hatchback with tinted windows and stock rims.

Terry Barlow Jr., who along with his father is the general manager of the market, said the wounded vendor has sold items at the market for years. They said Saturday's shooting was the first the market has had since they began working there.

Sheriff's officials said the shooting occurred Saturday morning after two men stopped at the coin and gun booth and asked about buying a gun. When the owner refused to sell them a firearm, they left but said they would return.

A group of six men returned to the booth armed with a hammer and smashed the glass cases where the guns were displayed. Deputies said one of the men shot the booth owner in the stomach.

Brian Porter shared the booth with the man who was shot. He said he sold the coins and the 79-year-old man sold the guns.

Porter said he didn't recognize any of the suspects as being previous customers. He said they were all wearing hooded sweatshirts.

"They meant business," Porter said. "And they knew what they were going to do."

As he packed up items in his booth Sunday afternoon, he said that selling guns can be a risky business. He said he's been robbed three or four times but it's never ended in a shooting.

"No place that sells guns is safe," he said. "This is a bad world out there."

Barlow said he and a few others serve as security, but the market doesn't have off-duty officers or deputies working.

Silvia Torres was cutting a woman's hair at her booth Sunday and said she had just learned about the shooting.

"I think we need to be more careful," she said in Spanish. "I've never been robbed."

Roslae Blanc sells undergarments at a booth near Porter's and said the shooting didn't seem to affect her customers Sunday, but it worried her because there are children at the market.

[ Elvia Malagon can be reached at elvia.malagon@theledger.com or 863-802-7550. ]

<p>LAKELAND | Families flocked to the Lakeland Farmers Market on Sunday to buy produce and clothing items a day after a gun booth owner was shot in the stomach during a robbery.</p><p>While the market appeared to be back to normal and Mexican country music blared through the small shops, booth owners said they were more vigilant because of the shooting.</p><p>The 79-year-old man who was shot Saturday was in stable condition Sunday at Lakeland Regional Medical Center and is expected to recover, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.</p><p>Officials haven't identified the man as they search for six suspects who apparently participated in the robbery at the market on Swindell Road.</p><p>Deputies said the suspects are black, appeared to be teenagers, and some had dreadlocks. Deputies also are searching for a black, newer-model Suzuki hatchback with tinted windows and stock rims.</p><p>Terry Barlow Jr., who along with his father is the general manager of the market, said the wounded vendor has sold items at the market for years. They said Saturday's shooting was the first the market has had since they began working there. </p><p>Sheriff's officials said the shooting occurred Saturday morning after two men stopped at the coin and gun booth and asked about buying a gun. When the owner refused to sell them a firearm, they left but said they would return.</p><p>A group of six men returned to the booth armed with a hammer and smashed the glass cases where the guns were displayed. Deputies said one of the men shot the booth owner in the stomach.</p><p>Brian Porter shared the booth with the man who was shot. He said he sold the coins and the 79-year-old man sold the guns.</p><p>Porter said he didn't recognize any of the suspects as being previous customers. He said they were all wearing hooded sweatshirts.</p><p>"They meant business," Porter said. "And they knew what they were going to do."</p><p>As he packed up items in his booth Sunday afternoon, he said that selling guns can be a risky business. He said he's been robbed three or four times but it's never ended in a shooting.</p><p>"No place that sells guns is safe," he said. "This is a bad world out there."</p><p>Barlow said he and a few others serve as security, but the market doesn't have off-duty officers or deputies working.</p><p>Silvia Torres was cutting a woman's hair at her booth Sunday and said she had just learned about the shooting.</p><p>"I think we need to be more careful," she said in Spanish. "I've never been robbed."</p><p>Roslae Blanc sells undergarments at a booth near Porter's and said the shooting didn't seem to affect her customers Sunday, but it worried her because there are children at the market.</p><p>[ Elvia Malagon can be reached at elvia.malagon@theledger.com or 863-802-7550. ]</p>